Sectional ironing board having foldable supports



July 29, 1947. E. c. BOOTH 1 2,424,734

SECTIONAL IRONfNG BOARD fiAvING FOLDABLE SUPPORTS v Filed Nov. 13, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENT 421. 6'. 5007,

July 29, 1947. E. c. BOOTH 2,424,734

SECTIONAL IRONING BOARD HAVING FOLDABLE SUPPORTS F iled Nov. 13, 1943 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

E. C. BOOTH July 29, 1947.

SECTIONAL IRONING BOARD HAVING FOLDABLE SUPPORTS Filed Nov.

13, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet s [1991. C Boar/1,

i w m r r a Patented July 29, 1947 SECTIONAL IRONING BOARD HAVING FOLDABLE SUPPORTS Earl C. Booth, Columbus,

Ind., assignor to Noblitt-Sparks Industries, Inc., Columbus, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application November 13, 1943, Serial No. 510,190

8 Claims. (01. 38-137) It is the object of my invention to produce a folding ironing board which can be economically manufactured in quantity, which will be stable and rigid when erected, and which can be easily and quickly changed from erected to folded condition, and vice versa.

In carrying out my invention, I form the top of the ironing board from a plurality of elongated sections of sheet-metal each of which is provided with a downwardly projecting peripheral flange. These several sheet-metal pieces are placed in side-by-side relationship with the flanges on adjacent sides juxtaposed; and such juxtaposed flanges are then secured together to unite the several sheet-metal pieces into a unitary top. Additional means for uniting the several sheetmetal pieces and for bracing the top may be employed if desired. For the purpose of supporting the top, I employ two crossed, pivotally interconnected legs, one of which is pivoted to the top near one end thereof on a transverseaxis and the other of which is connected through the medium of links to a point intermediate the length of the top. A latch co-operating with the free ends of the links serves to hold the ironing board in erected condition.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention: Fig. 1 is a plan view of the ironing board in erected condition with portions of the top bro-ken away; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the erected ironing board; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the board in folded condition; Fig. 4 is a fragmental vertical section through the ironing-board top illustrating the latch by means of which the board is held in erected condition; Fig. 5 is a plan View of the ironing-board top with portions thereof broken away; Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 6-5 of Fig. 5; Fig. '7 is a vertical section through the top adjacent one of the strengthening ribs; Fig. 8 is an elevational view illustrating successive positions in the operations of erecting and folding the board; Figs. 9 and 10 are fragmental vertical sections on an enlarged scale illustrating successive positions in the operation of erecting the board; and Fig. 11 is a fragmental elevation illustrating the manner in which the folded board may be supported.

In the ironing board illustrated in the drawings, the top, designated in its entirety by the reference numeral I4, is composed of four sheet-metal stampings l5, l5, l1, and i8, each of which forms a longitudinally extending section of the top. The conventional ironing-board top is blunt at one end and tapered at the other. In conformity with this practice, the two central stampings l6 and ll of my top extend for the full length of the board, and have their outer corners at the tapered end of the board rounded as indicated at in Fig. 1 to meet, respectively, the oblique end edges 1 2| of the outer stampings l5 and I8. At the blunt end of the board, the-ends of the stampings are flush with each other, and the outer corners of the stampings l5 and 18 are desirably rounded somewhat as indicated at 22. Over substantially their entire horizontal extent, the stampings are provided with perforations '23 aifordingventilation for the cloth pad usually used on an ironing board.

Each of the stampings 15 to [8 is provided along its longitudinal edges with downwardly extending flanges 25 and across its ends with downwardly extending flanges 26. In assembling the several sections to form the complete top, the sections are arranged in side-by-side relationship with the longitudinal flanges 25 of adjacent sections juxtaposed; and such juxtaposed flanges are then secured together. Desirably, one flange of each juxtaposed pair is made wider than the other and its edge portion is turned upward to embrace the lower edge of such other flange, as indicated at 28 in Figs. 6 and '7. In addition, juxtaposed flanges may be spot-welded. together as indicated at 29 in Fig. 7.

To strengthen and stiffen the top at its tapered end, I employ a metal reinforcing strip 30 (Fig. 5) which extends along and is desirably spot-welded to the inner faces of the end flanges 25 of all four stampings E5 to H3 inclusive. A similar reinforcing strip 3| extends continuously along the inner face of the flanges 26 at the blunt edge of the board; and the end portions of the strip 3| are desirably bent to extend for a distance along the inner faces of the outer flanges 25 on the outer stampings l5 and E8. The reinforcing strip 3!, like the strip 30, is secured, as by spot-welding, to the flanges against which it lies.

Each of the three pairs of joined flanges 25 forms a reinforcing rib, designated generally by the reference numeral 33, which extends for the full length of the board. To provide additional stiffness and strength for the board I may employ stiffening members or braces extending between the ribs 33, as well as between the outermost of such ribs and the adjacent flanges 25 along the sides of the top. As will be clear from Fig. 1, these braces conveniently take the form of sheetmetal strips 35 bent into a truncated V-shape and adapted to extend between adjacent ribs 33 or between one of the outermost of such ribs and a flange 25 along the side edge of the top. As

shown in Fig. 1, there are two sets of the braces 35, one located near the blunt end of the board and the other near the tapered end of the board. In the former set, two outer braces 35 are disposed with their bases engaging respectively the flanges 25 at the edges of th top and with their ends engaging the outer faces of-the outer ribs 33; while the inner-braces 35v are arranged with their bases against the inner rib 33 and their outer ends against the inner faces of the outer ribs 33. Rivets 36 are employed for securing the reinforcing members 35 to thefianges 25 and ribs 33. The arrangement of reinforcing members 35 at the tapered end of" the board is similar except that the inner members 35 are ofiset longitudinally of the board toward the tapered end thereof.

The support for the ironing board'is provided by two pivotally interconnected legs designated respectively by the reference numerals 4|] and 4|, each desirably formed from a length of metal tubing bent to the desiredshape. The longer of the two legs, indicated at 4|, is pivotally at.- tached, as by bolts 42 to the two outer reinforcing ribs 33 near the blunt end of the board and is adapted, when the board is erected, to extend obliquely downwardly and engage the floor or other supporting surface at a point beneath the tapered end of the board. The other leg 4|Z|is pivotally interconnected with the leg 4| by a pivot bolt or rivet 43. Its upper end is connected by a pivot pin or bolt 44' with a pair of links 45, and the links 45 are in turn pivotally connected by co.-axial pins or bolts 46 with thetwo outer ribs 33. To provide additional strength, the pivot pins 43 and 44' are desirably received within tubes 41 and 48.

The lower end of the shorter supporting leg40. has a considerable extent transversely of the board in order to provide for lateral stability when the board is erected; The other leg 4|, however, desirably is formed so that. its: lower end engages the floor or other supporting surface ata single point located centrally with respect to the ironing-board top, as will be clear from Fig. 1. Those ends of the legs Hand 4 l which are uppermost when the board is erected are bent toward the top l4 so that the legs may lie closely against the under surface of such top whenthe board is folded, as will be clear from Fig. 3.

When the board is folded, the links45 extend from their pivot pins 43 toward the tapered end of the board, as shown in Fig. 3; and when the board is erected, those links extend generally in the opposite direction, or toward the blunt end of the board, as shown in Fig, 2. To hold the board in erected condition, there is pivotallyattached to the center rib 33 a latch member 58- provided in one edge with a notch the latch being so-positioned along the rib 33 that, when the board is erected, the notch 51 will engage the tube 48. surrounding the pivotpin 43 by which the links 45. are interconnected with the shorter leg. 40;. In itsoperative position, shown in Fig. 4, the latch; 5.1.0, extendsobliquely downward toward the blunt end; of, the, board, so that the. force. or gravityaptingupon it will tend: to keep it; en-

gaged with; the tube 4&1

The operation of erectingandfolding theboard will be apparent from Figs. 8 to With, the oard: f ld d'as shown in Fig. 3-. it isn d a Verticalposition; withthe; blunt: end: of the; tol l4, on. thefloor or othensupporting: surface; and thefree end; of the leg; 4|; is; then moved away f m the t p'i to the ull-line; position shown in Fig. 8. In the swinging movement of the leg 4|, the shorter leg 40 is also carried away from the board; and the force of gravity acting on the legs tends to hold them in the full-line position indicated, so long as the lower end of the leg 40 is above the floor. With the legs extended, the upper end of the top I4 is tipped toward the. dotted-line position shown in Fig. 8, thus causing the lower end of the leg 40 to engage the fioor. The upward reaction of the floor on the lower end of the leg 40 tends to swing such legzinza clockwise direction about its pivot bolt 43, thus causing the links 45 to swing in a counterclockwise direction about the axis of their pivotal connection with the top H. The limit -o1 this movement occurs when the tube 48 enages. the lower edges of the ribs 33 on the top H1. The condition then existin is illustrated by the dottedlines of Fig. 8 and in Fig. 10.

From the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 8, the board is swung about the lower end of the leg 40 through the chain-line position shown in Fig. 8 to the position shown in Fig. 2.

When the operation of erecting the board is initiated, the latch 58 hangs in a substantially vertical position as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. As the top |4 swings toward a horizontal position in the operation of erecting the board, the link 50 swings under the influence of gravity to cause the notch 5| to take over the tube 48 on the pivot pin 43; so that when the erection of the board is completed the tube 48'will be located in the baseof the notch 5|. As a result, the ironing board can be handled from the top l4; and the latch 50 will prevent the upper end of the leg 40: from dropping away from, the top when the top is lifted.

To collapse the board, it is rotated first about the lower end of the leg 40 through the chainline position to the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 8 to bring the blunt end of the top into contact with the floor. Further rotation of the board about the point of contact between the top l4 and the floor brings it to the full-line position of Fig. 8'. During these movements, the latch 53 swings toward a vertical position to disengage the notch 5| from the tube 48. The pivot pin 43' islocated well above the center of gravity of the le 40:50 that when the lower end of such leg is moved clear of the floor as the board is brought into the full-line position the force of gravity tends to rotate that leg in a counterclockwise direction about the pin 43, thus causing the pivot pin 44-, by which the leg 40 and links 45 are interconnected, to lie somewhat above the comon plane of the pivot pins 43 and 46. In: consequence, when the free end of the leg 4| is moved toward the top Hi, the links 4-5 will continuev their counterclockwise movement, and both legs will-be brought against the under surface of the top into the position illustrated in Fig. 3.

The leg 4| is desirably made of such a length that, its free end will project slightly beyond the tapered end of the top i4 when the board is folded. If the leg 4| is made'of bent tubing orother structural shape, the board may be supported from a nail'or peg 55 on a vertical wall 56', as indicated in Fig. 11.

r I claim as my invention:

1. In an ironing board, a. top comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending sheet-metal sections, said sections being provided with downwardly projecting flanges extending along their longitudinal edges, adjacent flanges of adjacent sectionsbeing juxtaposed and secured together to form strengthening ribs for the top, and a folding support for said top, said support including one or more members pivotally connected to certain of said strengthening ribs.

2. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition that one of each pair of juxtaposed flanges is Wider than the other and has its lower edge portion bent upwardly to embrace the lower edge of such other flange.

3. In an ironing board, a top comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending sheet-metal sections, said sections being provided with downwardly projecting flanges extending along their longitudinal edges, adjacent flanges of adjacent sections being juxtaposed and secured together to form strengthening rib-s for the top, and one or more braces extending obliquely across each section and secured to the flanges at the edges thereof.

4. In an ironing board, a top comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending sheet-metal sections, said section-s being provided with downwardly projecting flanges extending along their longitudinal edges, adjacent flanges of adjacent sections being juxtaposed and secured together to form strengthening ribs for the top, said sections also being provided at their ends with downwardly projecting flanges spaced from the ends of said longitudinal flanges, and a reinforcing strip of sheet metal extending across the ends of said longitudinal flanges along the inner faces of and secured to such latter flanges at each end of said top.

5. In an ironing board, a top and a folding support therefor, said support comprising two legs of unequal length, pivotally interconnected, and adapted to extend obliquely in crossed relation when the support is extended, the longer leg being pivotally connected at its upper end to said top on a transverse axis near one end thereof, and one or more links permanently interconnecting the upper end of the shorter leg with a point intermediate the length of said top, said links extending from their point of connection with said top generally horizontally toward the upper end of the longer leg when the support is extended :and in the opposite direction when the support is folded.

6. The invention set forth in claim 5 with the addition that the axis of pivotal interconnection of said two legs is located between the center of gravity of the shorter leg and its point of connection to said links.

7. The invention set forth in claim 5 with the addition of a releasable latch for holding said links in the position they occupy when the support is extended.

8. In an ironing board, a top comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending sheet-metal sections, said sections being provided with downwardly projecting flanges extending along their longitudinal edges, adjacent flanges of adjacent sections being juxtaposed and secured together to form strengthening ribs for the top, and one or more braces associated with each of said sections, each of said braces being of a truncated V-shape and having its base secured to one of the flanges of the associated section and its ends secured to the other of such flanges.

EARL C. BOOTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,862,227 Mahon June 7, 1932 190,140 Hotchkiss et al May 1, 1877 769,313 Higgs Sept. 6, 1904 2,235,883 John Mar. 25, 1941 2,219,679 Bush et a1 Oct. 29, 1940 2,293,807 De Brock Aug. 25, 1942 1,982,399 Reitze Nov. 27, 1934 2,101,597 Rich Dec. 7, 1937 1,963,977 Flagstad June 26, 1934 

